Sugar Free Lime Cupcakes (with Gluten and Dairy Free Options)
Given the things I’ve been through in my 20s, and my lifestyle as a married woman with two young children, I’m not particularly apprehensive about turning the big 3-0 next year. I feel like I’m over 30 already in the way I live and feel, and many of my closest friends are in their 30s, so I’m actually kind of looking forward to it.
But this year, it’s my 29th that is just round the corner. And I could not let a birthday pass by without getting a couple of delicious cake recipes on the website!
A few years back, before we lowered our sugar intake, there was a yogurt and lime cake recipe I used to love to make. It could be ready in 45 minutes, I often had the ingredients sitting in my fridge, and it featured one of my favourite ever foods and flavours: lime. But with over 250g sugar in it (making about 5-7 teaspoons per serving), it quickly disappeared off my baking radar after we did the I Quit Sugar program.
Until now. Because now I have adapted, re-created and made this possible as a treat that is sugar free, and includes gluten and dairy free options using one simple dairy free swap and my favourite gluten free flour blend recipe.
And the best bit? These cupcakes are even better than I remember the lime cake ever being (and ready in just 30 minutes)! They are sweet, citrussy and super fluffy and soft. They are definitely tied with my chocolate cupcakes from the Party Survival Course as my favourite cupcake recipe I’ve ever made. I love them.
Because even if I have to be sugar, gluten and dairy free over my birthday this year, I like knowing I can still indulge and feel satisfyingly treated.
Delicious, super soft and fluffy cupcakes that just happen to be sugar free, as well as including gluten and dairy free options. These cupcakes are the perfect way to show that free from baking doesn't have to be tasteless or boring, but can actually be yummy and fun!
- 200 g (1 3/4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour (for gluten free, see notes for the blend I use, or try it with a gluten free flour blend of your own or shop-bought*)
- 2 teaspoons (gluten free) baking powder
- pinch of sea salt
- 250 g (1 cup) full-fat plain yoghurt (or use coconut yogurt for dairy-free)
- 80 ml (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) olive oil (not extra virgin) or melted coconut oil
- 100 g (1/2 cup) xylitol (as always, try to reduce the amount of sweetener you use each time you make it - you can easily use just 1/4 cup/50g for less sweet but more healthy cupcake!)
- zest of 1 lime and juice of 2
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons sugar and gluten free vanilla extract
- 125 g (1/2 cup) softened room temperature cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
- zest of 1 lime
- a couple of drops liquid stevia or 1-2 tablespoons powdered xylitol, to taste (you could use 1-2 tablespoons of rice syrup instead, making it a low sugar but still fructose free icing)
- 1/2-1 teaspoon sugar and gluten free coconut or vanilla extract, optional
- Alternatively, make some coconut whipped cream sweetened with a little stevia to top these cakes for a dairy free option
- desiccated coconut for sprinkling, optional
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Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl or jug, mix the rest of the ingredients. Pour the wet mix into the dry and whisk until combined. Pour into a 12-hole muffin/cupcake tin lined with cupcake cases, filling each case almost, but not quite, to the top (about 3/4 full). Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely.
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For the frosting, beat the cream cheese with the butter, zest and stevia or xylitol. Add coconut or vanilla extract if using. Ice the cakes once they are cool. Sprinkle with desiccated coconut if using.
*For the gluten free flour, use 1 3/4 cups of this flour blend (I tested the recipe with it and it came out perfectly fluffy and sweet) or your favourite gluten free flour blend (although I cannot guarantee as perfect results without testing)
